Nandipha Magudumana halts bail bid due to new ‘crucial evidence’
Dr Nandipha Magudumana will remain in police custody after she reserved her right to apply for bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Magudumana and five others were in court for a formal bail application after they were arrested for allegedly assisting the prison escape of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester.
Her lawyers told the court that due to the emergence of crucial evidence; their client wants to hold her right to make a bail application in abeyance.
“I also need to place it on record that because of the nature of the importance of that particular info is also looking at the possibility of exploring other avenues of ventilating her rights outside of this particular court by way of other processes,” Magudumana’s lawyer said.
“The initial decision before the emergence of this crucial evidence that has since emerged, we were ready but in the interest of justice, we saying we request our right in relation to bail to be reserved."
The medical doctor was arrested in April with her fugitive lover and a Mozambican national while on the run in Tanzania.
READ: Bester, Magudumana land in SA under heavy police guard
It’s alleged Magudumana, IT technician Teboho Lipholo, G4S officials Senohe Motsoare, John Masukela, Natassja Jansen and Frans Makhotsa aided and abetted Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre where he was serving a life sentence.
Magudumana’s father Cornelius Sekeleni is out on R10 000 bail, while her Bester has been kept under 24-hour surveillance at the Kgosi Mampuru II C-max Correctional Facility in Tshwane.
They face charges ranging from fraud, defeating the ends of justice, and aiding and abetting the escape of an inmate from lawful custody, among others.
Meanwhile, the State clarified that it had provisionally withdrawn the murder charge – in relation to the death of Katlego Mpholo, whose body was used as the decoy in the cell fire wherein Bester was thought to have burnt to death – and this has been reflected in the substituted charge sheet that is before the court.
All suspects, including Bester, are expected back on the 16th of May for the main case.
LIMITED MEDIA COVERAGE OF BAIL PROCEEDINGS
The chief magistrate in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court has barred the live recording of witness statements during bail proceedings for the remaining five accused.
The addendum issued by the chief magistrate states that recordings will only be allowed once all evidence has been given.
“The closing arguments by the state (prosecutor) and defence teams may be recorded live. It will also be allowed when the court (magistrate) delivers judgement with regard to the bail applications,” reads the document.
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